I had to leave Hamburg at 4 o clock in the morning. The meeting would be at 6am on a small farm on the countryside. 2 hrs drive from Hamburg. My first stop was at a bakery of course . To buy a coffee. After a few times yawning I left the highway. I passed a lot of grassland, horses, cows. I was also raised on a farm and could enjoy the lovely country life during my whole youth. I felt already home. The fog on the lawns looked dreamlike. After 2 hours driving I finally arrived the small farm and I just can say: What a lovely place. Really small farmhouses, everywhere green trees, gras. Fresh air. A friendly dog said „hello“. And of course also a small and gorgeous young kitty. That was like a cliche. What a warm welcome. But I actually wanted to meet someone else.
Anna is living with her husband on this farm. She makes sheep cheese as a hobby. And for me the cheese making process was so interesting that I wanted to take pictures of it. So we had to go directly to the meadow where the sheeps were waiting. They were actually waiting. When we arrived they came directly across us and wanted be milked. Of course the border collie was always following us. Anna prepared the milking machine, made everything ready. And then the sheeps were allowed to come into the mobile milking trailer. I have never seen something like this before. Just great and impressive. Always a group of sheeps were allowed to come in, were staying quite and relaxed while eating the hay giving their milk. After roughly 45 minutes all sheeps were finished and the fresh milk was filled into the milk cans. Everything got cleaned and we left the meadow, the sheeps and the trailer to go back to the farm. The next steps for cheese making are complicated. You can of course read a few articles in the internet if you are interested. The most impressive thing was to see where the cheese comes from. It was nice to see that actually someone is still making food with their own hands. Handmade. Making out of a raw product something beautiful and tasty. Just amazing. Anna has also a close relationship to their own animals and to the country life. I was really pleased to see this. I hope you can feel the passion from Anna in my pictures. I love the countryside and this small trip confirmed this feeling.
After a few days I joined Anna and her husband to a music festival where they sold their sheep cheese. The people were queuing in front of their sales stall. That was nice to see. They had actually the same good taste like I have. I bought of course also some :)
Anna is living with her husband on this farm
A friendly dog said hello
And of course also a small and gorgeous young kitty. That was like a cliche
We had to go directly to the meadow where the sheeps were waiting. They were actually waiting. When we arrived they came directly across us and wanted to be milked
The border collie was always following
What a warm welcome
Anna prepared the milking machine, made everything ready. And then the sheeps were allowed to come into the mobile milking trailer
Everything was so exciting for this young cat
Just great and impressive. Always a group of sheeps were allowed to come in, were staying quite and relaxed while eating the hay and got milked
Both are working hand in hand
Always smiling
Every sheep knows his place. Nicely stringed together
I liked the atmosphere and this pictures mirrors how relaxed and calm it was
After roughly 45 minutes all sheeps were finished and the fresh milk was filled into the milk cans
Annas cheese dairy on her farm
The next steps for cheese making are complicated. You can of course read a few articles in the internet if you are interested. The most impressive thing was to see where the cheese comes from
I also attend the cheese making process in Annas small factory
Fresh and raw mild from the own sheeps. Nice
And this is the final product. Anna is putting salt on the cheese and then it has to rest
All cheese blocks are getting nice marks due to the sieves where the cheese is resting in
What a lovely couple. Thank you for your hospitality
These pictures were taken during the music festival
A little bit pepper on the warm tomatoes with the grilled cheese
You could also get some bread for dipping
